Rossi: Things looking very positive for 2016

Alexander Rossi says his "stock value" over the past month and a half has "definitely gone through the roof" since joining Manor and making his F1 race debut in Singapore

Alexander Rossi says his "stock value" over the past month and a half has "definitely gone through the roof" since joining Manor and making his F1 race debut in Singapore.

Rossi, who has also been competing in GP2 this year, secured the drive with Manor for five of the seven remaining races just prior to the event at the Yas Marina Circuit, and ahead of his final F1 appearance of 2015 in Brazil next weekend, he added the decision to come in and race has helped him as he looks to secure a full-time F1 seat in 2016.

"Me being in a race seat has kind of changed where I stand in American motorsports and where I stand in this paddock and everything," he explained.

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"So it's much easier to try and put a prospect out when you're actually in a race seat versus the potential of being in a race seat.

"So my stock value over the past month and a half has definitely gone through the roof and the interest in the States has skyrocketed as well.

"So with all those things and having a positive Austin [where I finished 12th and equalled the team's best result of the season] when we had a lot of guests and potential sponsors there, it was a great thing to have happen.

"Things are looking very positive for next year and we just have to keep going now and do the best we can."

Pressed on how much his result in Austin has helped cement his plans for 2016, Rossi added: "Yeah it did, but every race since Singapore has. Singapore did, Japan did, my race in Russia in GP2 did and Austin as well. So everything has been kind of gradually growing and everything has been positive so far, so I think that's all been doing a lot in terms of putting things together for next year."

Meanwhile, Rossi noted that he now feels "at home" with the MR03: "I think from a comfort standpoint in terms of just everything being more natural I've gained a lot [since Singapore]. Just inside the car it being something that's more like a second home to me now instead of being this kind of foreign space where I'm still trying to figure out how everything works.

"I'm still finding that there are nuances of this car though, that as each race weekend goes by I'm figuring out more and more."